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Cool another one to watch.

Nice build plan, right up my alley. Have you checked out Ole's transmission controller? https://ofgear.dk/. Its well priced compared to the PCM controllers and I think it sounds like the better of the two.
I must admit I am curious as to why you don't just use all the required merc electronics/Ecu as you have the whole car?
There are some merc electronic gurus that claim to be able to bypass parts of the ecu to make them run standalone but as you stated earlier I don't think merc electronics are as well understood as some other makes.
A reason for the popularity of the 0M606 is that even though it uses an elec IP pump and therefore a controller it will still accept the mechanical IP from its predecessor OM603 making the 606 a fully mechanical engine...no computers.
I would think the best way of running the OM648 would be with factory merc electrics, ecu, ignition circuit and whatever else is in that car that it needs. I don't know of any Controllers available to run the 0M648 standalone.
I will be watching tho one

https://www.facebook.com/20018830675034 ... 606968263/

Have you had any progress finding a controller for the om608? Check out dieselmeken on Facebook...they're doing an om648 superturbo in partnership with industrial injection diesel performance SLC, USA. Apparently they are running their om648 (race engine) standalone on some controller called "Adaptronic system controller". Maybe this can run your om648... just tune yours down a tad.

You should probably reach out to Goran at dieselmeken ab, he is a Mercedes magician and would most likely know the best way to run the 648 standalone for a street application.
I really wanna see this one happen.

Sorry for the long time since the update!

The body has been removed down to the frame
Om648 engine is installed and running! I ended up going with Sound German Automotive's transmission controller

were not driving yet however
next on the list is....

Stretch the frame 12" to accomodate a decent driveshaft (I have 9.5" now I will get a 21.5" after the stretch)
Rebuild the transfer case with the 1.003:1 gear ratio instead of the current 1.24:1

I am in the middle of a power steering setup as well which I will get more pictures of as I progress. I am using a different steering column and linkage to get it all out of the foot space.

I am super impressed by how smooth this engine runs and I think just that alone not having any vibrations will make for a much quieter ride. However I do plan to do a bit of soundproofing.


MORE TO COME!

Couple more pics

Curious how this is going. With that combo you are going to have a very long drivetrain. I’m guessing your engine is not as wide and tight fitting as my R2.8 so maybe you can push everything forward a bit more?

It is very long yes! It will not fit in the normal tgb13. It would have needed a cv rear drive line and it was only 9.5" from the output at the transfer case to the pinion flange.

I am stretching the frame to about the same WB as the tgb20. Since I am building a custom box this wont effect mine much. I really want to build another one eventually with factory tgb13 box.

Next photos i have will be with the frame stretched and motor mounted and possibly the rear driveline installed.

Any updates on this conversion?

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

Got the frame stretched and the engine mounted! Working on steering currently I will do another big update in a few weeks!

LOVE your build project! Do you still have the original body? I am very interested in buying it from you. I just need from behind the cab on back. Keep up the posts!

Why did you choose to extend the chassis with right angle welds? Extended chassis should always be welded with curved sections at each end. Curving at the joins makes cracking much less likely as the load stress covers more than double the surface area. Also welds are much more likely to crack along straight lines.
This type of chassis extension or repair would not be able to be registered in Australia or Europe. Couldn't say for the USA. Just food for thought before you get to far into it.

You cant even do a chassis extension here in Belgium.....they will take your rig of the streets and it will never pas MOT.

Looks to me like he sleeved the frame. That should be extremely strong.

The weakest point of any steel extension will always be on the Heat Affected Area (welded area) of the Parent metal. This will be the case no matter how strong or thick the central section of the extension.

UPDATE!!!

So far I have mounted the engine and transmission and I have completed the steering setup (still need to make the power steering lines) I will go into more detail with each picture I post. It will be in a few separate posts.

The frame is stronger than original as it is now 3 layers deep of steel. There is in an inner box that sleeves inside the original frame about 12" on each side. Then there is the plating around the outside that you can see. (this is not the way I would have stretched the frame I paid to have this done, however I am not worried about the work in the slightest.


To bring you up to date...

I modified this jeep skid plate to fit the TGB frame rails and it was the basis for my transmission/transfercase mount.
I did end up making the upper mount for the transfer case flat with the skid plate to avoid any premature wear in the rubber mount. There is a 3 deg slope in the drivetrain to make it line up with the pinion angles. So in the last 2 pictures the skid plate is flat and the drivetrain is 3deg downward.